Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-07-28
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. d. c., July %, 1888,


To the Editor of the HERALD:
The officials at the Signal Servic
Bureau report that with but singh
exception, Monday last was the hotties
day that has been experienced in Wash
ington since that Bureau has been in ex
istence. AT midday thermometers in
various parts of the city indicated thu
temperature to be from 100 to 107 de
grees, while a thermometer placed up
on the asphalt pavement and exposed
to the rays of the sun resistered 134
degrees. This extreme heat resulted
in the almost universal suspension Of
work upon buildings in course of con.
struction, and in several OF the depart
ments clerks were dismissed at an
early hour for the day. Although
there were numerous instances in
which persons were overcome by the
heat, there were but few cases which
resulted fatally. Fortunately the ex-
tremely high temperature was of short
duration. and was succeeded by cool
wave which rendered life much more
enjoyable
The work upon the new terraces and
the magnificent staircase at the west
front of the Capitol is being pushed
forward as rapidly as possible, the
only interruption being that Occasioned
by the excessive hot weather. The
work has reached that point which
renders it necessary to remove The
fountain as well,as the oval fish pond
which it will be remembered occupied
the space between the old STAIR case
wings. The old fountain and basin,
together with the beautiful gold fish
which for many years have been ad.
mired by visitors, who have rarely pas.
sed the basin without stopping for a
moment to admire the countless bits
of animated gold, as they darted about
in the clear water of the basin, will be
removed to the grounds of the National
Insane asylum near the city.
1t is said at the State Department
that the number of Americans who
have left this country for Europe have
never before been equalled in the his
tory of the Department. 1t is esti-
mated that 1000 tourists have sailed
from the United States since the first of
April. The records of the department
show that more than four thousand
passports were issued during the months
of April, May. June and the early part
of July, and more than four-tifths of the
tourists sail without passports. This
unusually large exodus is probably to
be in a measure accounted for by the
recent jubilee celebration of Queen
Victoria. A majority of those who
have applied for passports are Germans
who desire TO be protected against the
army regulations of the fathetlaud,
4 WUllb WIN lubtnQ NloAltug
Turkey. Russia, Italy or Spain iuvari-
bly, procure passports before leaving
the United States as the regulations of
these countries are sometimes severe
upon tourists.
The count of coin and other securi-
ties, which has been in progress at the
Treasury Department since May 23rd
was completed during the past week.
Although upon examination of the bags
of the silver vaults it was found that
several of the bags were short two oil
three pieces, each of these were grad.
ually recovered during the progress OF
the count until all were found, and the
committee reported that there is not q
deficiency of single penny in the
amount supposed to be contained in
the vaults.